Open sprinkler.



W. ESTY.

OPEN SPRINKLER. APPLIFOATION FILED MAR. 26, 1906.

PATENTED APR. 21, 1908.

A l/omey WILLIAM ESTY, OF LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGN OR TO ESTYSPRINKLER COMPANY, OF LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF NEWHAMPSHIRE.

OPEN SPRINKLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 21, 1908.

Application filed March 26, 1906. Serial No. 307,999.

To all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that'I, WILLIAM Es'rY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Laconia, 1n the county of Belknap and State of New I-Iamshire, have invented certain new and usefu Improvements in 0 enSprinklers, and do hereby declare the fo lowing, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, to be a full and clear disclosure of myinvention.

My invention relates to that class of fire extinguishing systems inwhich the sprinkler heads are open, and the water ordinarily suppliedthereto by the mechanical operation of Valves located in the risers orcross-feeds. Such systems are ordinarily outside systems, designed toprotect the surfaces upon which they are mounted from fires inneighboring structures, and to this end, it is desirable that throughthem a roper and predetermined amount of water e supplied to and evenlydistributed over a predetermined area of the surface to be protected,and that the water be uniformly supplied without waste. Sprinklingsystems of this general type have heretofore been faulty in that thestructure of the sprinkler head has been such that the water on beingdischarged therefrom is s lashed from the wall instead of assing own thesame, and furthermore, 1n that efficient provision for evenlydistributin the water over considerable areas, has been acking.

An object of my invention is to provide a sprinkler head that willdeliver water to the protected surface without loss through splashing.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for uniformlydistributing the water over predetermined wall areas.

A further object of my invention is a sprinkler head readily detachablefrom the feeders, and replaceable if desired by heads of differentdistributing capacity.

Again, an object of my invention is a sprinkler head and mounting, suchthat the feeders do not interrupt, or lie in the path of the dischargingwater, thereby interfering with the distribution thereof.

I attain the first object of my invention, namely, the elimination ofsplashing, by a peculiar arrangement of parts, hereinafter to especifically described, by means of which the water is thrown againstthe exposed surface at a considerable angle thereto, and in drops orfine streams rather than in sheets.

The second ob'ect of this invention, viz., the uniform distri ution ofwater over predetermined areas I attain by an arrangement of angularlydisposed water guiding surfaces, the angular position or shape of which,in conjunction with the size of orifice, determines the area controlled,and the amount of water supplied thereto.

Havin briefly set forth the objects and nature 0% my invention I willnow describe the same in connection with the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a view in cross-sectional elevation of the assembleddevice in position upon a wall. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of theassembled device. Fig. 3 is a view of the distributing plate and Fig. 4is a view of the deflecting plate.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1, a feeder 1 is shown supported at adistance from the protected wall 2 by a suitable bracket 3, the latterbeing attached in any desirable manner as by screws 4 to the wall 2. Atthe desired intervals the feeder 1 is as shown at 5 provided withthreaded pipe openings 6 into which the threaded head pipings 7 areadapted to screw.

The pipings 7 are shown as of some little length and as of elbow shape.At the discharge end thereof an interior ring or projection 8 isprovided. EXteriorly the lower or outer end of the pipes 7 areshouldered as at 9 for the purpose of seating the distributing plate 10.Concentrically mounted upon the plate 10 by means of bolts or rivets 1-1is the deflecting plate 12. The plates 10 and 12 are held spaced fromone another by shoulders 13 on the bolts and are securely maintained inplace between these shoulders and the bolt heads 14.

The distributing plate 10 is shown as having an outwardly inclinedportion or guiding surface 15, terminating in a serrated edge 16, theangularity of which inclined portion limits or determines the radialthrow of the water. The deflecting plate 12 is shown as having a portioninwardly or reversely inclined to the distributing plate 10 and likewiseterminating in a serrated edge 17. As will be seen the distributingplate is here shown as of greater diameter than the deflecting plate,and the disposition of the inclines in the two plates is such that werethe plate 12 continued it would intercept the plate 10.

In operation the water under pressure from the feeder 1 passes in asolid stream 1 said piece having at the discharge end therethrough thepipe 7 until it hits the ring 8 when it is choked and spread, andemerging strikes the deflector 12. Here it is further spread, and thrown.along the guiding inclines 13 to the incline 15 of the distributingplate. Passing along the incline 15 the water finally emerges throughthe circumferential'space between the plates and through the serrations16 and 17 to be discharged in drops of fine streams against the wall 1.It will be seen that owing to the relative position of feeder and head,the feeder does not intercept the path of the discharging streams, andthat therefore there is no interruption in the wall area wetted.

It is apparent that the particular structure shown is susceptible ofmany modifications and that all such fall within the true scope of theinvention. For instance, the manner of attaching the pipe 7 to thefeeders, and the design of the piece 7 are largely immaterial.Similarly, the manner of mounting the plates 10 and 12 need not be thatshown, and the shapes of these plates may be varied according tocircumstances, such as position and area of surfaces to be wetted. Otherfeatures could be varied or even omitted.

Having described my invention what 1 claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. A sprinkler having in combination a discharge pieceor piping to engage a feeder, said piping having at the discharge endthereof an internal ring or projection to chpke and spread the stream,an external shoulder, a distributing plate mounted on said pipingagainst said shoulder, said plate havfiTg an outwardly inclined serratedflange or edge, a deflecting plate concentrically mounted on saiddistributing plate, said latter plate having an inwardly inclinedserrated fiange or edge to direct the water upon the incline of thedistributing plate, and spaced from the latter to provide passagebetween the two for the water.

2. A sprinkler having in combination a discharge piece or piping toengage a feeder, said piping having at the discharge end thereof aninternal ring or projection to choke and spread the stream, an externalshoulder thereon, a distributing plate mounted on said piping againstsaid shoulder, said plate having an outwardly inclined flange or edge, adeflecting plate concentrically opposed to said distributing plate,"said latter plate having an inwardly inclined flange or edge to directthe water upon the incline of the distributing plate, the edge of one ofsaid plates bein g sgr rated, and said plates being spaced to"prov1depassage between the two for the water.

3. A sprinkler having in combination a discharge piece or piping toengage a feeder,

of an internal ring or projection to choke and spread the stream, anoutwardly inclined serrated distributing plate mounted on said piping,an inwardly inclined. serrated deflecting plate concentrically opposedto said distributing plate but spaced therefrom to provide passagebetween the two for the water.

1. A sprinkler having in combination a discharge piece or piping toengage a feeder, a serrated deflecting plate having a deflecting surfacemounted opposite the discharge opening, a serrated distributing plateopposed to said deflecting plate and having a reversely inclined surfaceto receive the water therefrom and to distribute the same upon thesurface to be wetted.

5. A sprinkler having in combination a discharge piece or piping toengage a feeder, said piping having at its discharge end an internalring or projection to choke and spread the stream, aserrated deflectingplate having an inclined deflecting surface mounted opposite thedischarge opening, a serrated distributing plate opposed to saiddeflecting plate and having a reversely inclined surface to receive thewater there from and to distribute the same upon the surface to bewetted.

6. In a sprinkler system for protecting substantially vertical walls, afeeder, a projecting hanger for supporting said feeder at a distancelaterally from the vertical surface protected, a sprinkler headconsisting of a depending elbow piece threaded at its upper end toengage the feeder and provided at its other or discharge end with adistributing vertically extending device disposed substantially parallelto the protected surface, said distributing device extending beyond thefeeder towards the protected surface having means for directing thewater against the protected surface at points between said surface andthe feeder and upward beyond the feeder.

7. In an open sprinkler system, the combination of a feeder supported.at a distance away'from the protected surface, and a verticallyextending always open water distributing device connecting with saidfeeder, said distributing device extending laterally toward theprotected surface nearer than the feeder does and having means fordirecting the water both upwardly as well as downwardly and laterallyagainst the protected surface between said surface and the feeder andupwardly to points beyond the feeder.

S. An always open sprinkler having, in combination, a discharge pipewith a choked outlet communicating with a feeder; a vertically extendingdistributing plate fast on said pipe, said plate having a centralopening communicating with the outlet from. said pipe, and beingoutwardly inclined at its outer margins; and a vertically extendingdeflecting plate opposite the opening from said pipe and saiddistributing plate, and secured immovably to said pipe and plate, saiddeflecting plate being of smaller width than said distributing plate andbeing inwardly inclined at its outer margins toward the inclined surfaceof said distributing plate, the direction of the incline of thedeflecting plate being such that such incline would, if extended,intercept the incline of the distributing plate, and the outer edgesofsaid plate being permanently separated to leave a discharge gap whichalways remains the same slze.

9. An always open sprinkler having, in combination, a discharge pipewith a choked outlet communicating with a feeder; a distributing platefast on said pipe, said plate having a central opening communicatingwith the outlet from said pipe, and being outwardly inclined at itsouter margins; and a deflecting plate opposite the -o ening from saidpipe and said distributing p ate, and secured immovably to said pipe andplate, said deflecting plate being of smaller Width than saiddistributing plate and being inwardly inclined at its outer marginstoward the inclined surface of said distributing plate, the

direction of the incline of the deflecting plate being such that suchincline would, if eX' tended, intercept the incline of the distributingplate, and the outer edges of said plates being permanently separated toleave a discharge gap which always remains the same size.

10. An always open sprinkler having, in combination, a discharge pipecommunicating with a feeder; a distributing plate fast/on said pipe,said plate having a central opening communicating with the outlet fromsaid pipe, and being outwardly inclined at its outer margins; and adeflecting plate opposite the opening from said pipe and saiddistributing plate, and secured immovably to said pipe and plate, saiddeflecting plate being of smaller width than said distributing plate andbeing inwardly inclined at its outer margins toward the inclined surfaceof said distributing plate, the direction of the incline of thedeflectin plate being such that such incline would i extended interceptthe incline of the distributing plate, and the outer edges of saidplates being permanently separated to leave a discharge gap which alwaysremains the same size.

11. An always open sprinkler having, in combination, a discharge pipecommunicating with a feeder; a distributing plate fast on said pipe,said plate having a central opening communicating with the outlet fromsaid pipe, and being outwardly inclined at its outer margins; and adeflecting plate op 0- site the opening from said pipe and said istributing plate, and secured. immovably to said pi e and plate, saiddeflecting plate being 0 smaller width than said distributing plate andbeing inwardly inclined at its outer margins toward the inclined surfaceof said distributing plate, and the outer edges of said plates beingpermanently separatedto leave a discharge gap which always remains thesame size.

12. An always open sprinklerhaving, in combination, a discharge pipewith a choked outlet communicating with a feeder; a distributing platefast on said pipe, said plate having a central opening communicatingwith the outletfrom said pipe, and being outwardly inclined at its outermargins and a deflecting plate opposite the opening from said pipe andsaid distributing plate, and secured immovably'to said pipe and plate,said deflecting plate being inwardly inclined at its outer marginstoward the inclined surface of said distributing plate, and the outeredges of said plates being permanently separated to leave a dischargegap which always remains the same size.

13. An always open sprinkler having, in combination, a discharge pipecommunicating with a feeder, a distributing plate fast on said pipe,said plate having a central opening communicating with the always 0 enoutlet from said pipe, and being outward y inclined at its outermargins; and a deflecting plate opposite the opening from said pipe andsaid distributing plate, and secured immovably to said pipe and plate,said deflecting plate being inwardly inclined at its outer marginstoward the inclined surface of said distributing plate, and the outeredges of said'plates being permanently separated to leave a dischargegap which always remains the same size.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM ESTY. Witnesses:

GEORGE W. SHERWELL, FRED A. PHELPS.

